ZALA ZARYA-1M AI-Enabled UAVs Deployed by Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) has begun pilot operations of ZALA ZARYA unmanned aerial systems equipped with artificial intelligence for automated wildfire detection, according to ZALA Aero’s press office.
The ZALA ZARYA product line includes the ZALA ZARYA-1 and ZALA ZARYA-1M models, which are currently deployed in over 60 cities across Russia. These UAVs support emergency services in flood monitoring, fire detection, and a range of other critical response tasks.
Each platform is fitted with optical and thermal imaging cameras, enabling continuous surveillance under adverse weather conditions, day or night. The onboard IRRA hardware-software suite processes real-time video streams, identifies fire zones, and generates automated reports for rapid response teams.
ZALA Aero reports that its AI-driven software enables in-depth analysis of large data sets collected by UAVs. The company has been field-testing its proprietary solutions for several years.
“The intelligent system identifies and classifies objects in aerial imagery captured by UAVs. AI-powered computer vision and machine learning algorithms detect technical defects and anomalies in aerial survey data. The software processes images faster and with greater accuracy than a human operator,”
a ZALA Aero spokesperson stated.
The spokesperson added that the AI-based software tracks terrain changes over time, providing detailed surface condition reports. The algorithms support multi-level analysis and classification of dozens of change types. The system offers mask filtering, coordinate-based search, change measurement, layered data visualization, and area-of-interest highlighting.
The ZALA digital platform integrates UAVs into a unified software environment managed by the 4Z1 system, enabling automatic decryption of aerial survey results and rapid, accurate change detection. This streamlines the monitoring of large-scale sites, such as during wildfires or floods. The global monitoring platform consolidates data processing, storage, and transmission.
“The program provides access to information at every stage of aerial patrol: live streaming, automated decryption, orthophoto maps, photo and video materials, and review of detected changes. Clients receive real-time access to monitoring data for timely response,” the company representative added.
The ZALA ZARYA-1M UAV transmits high-quality video up to 31 miles (50 km) and operates for up to 230 minutes on a single battery charge. The platform can carry dosimeters and alert systems, expanding its monitoring capabilities. Ongoing trials across various Russian regions continue to refine the algorithms and enhance emergency response effectiveness.
Source: RuAviation
